Waihi Beach Surf Boat Rowing

14/02/2026

Calling all boaties and clubbies – past and present – plus supporters, officials, boatie fans and friends.

We’re coming together to farewell Dan Harris QSM.

Celebration of Life (memorial service)
📍 Waihī Beach RSA
🗓 Thursday 27 February 2026 at 2.00pm
The family have suggested a blue and white theme to acknowledge Dan’s Waihī Beach roots.

Tribute Row / Paddle Out
📍 Waihī Beach Lifeguard Services Inc. (club end / north end)
🗓 Saturday 28 February 2026 at 11.00am

If Dan had an impact on your time in surf lifesaving or surf boat rowing – whether you rowed, patrolled, trained, competed, volunteered, or were part of an event he helped drive – please come along to pay your respects in your own way.

Dan founded the North Island Surf Boat Champs and the Champion of Champions, and his contribution to Waihī Beach and surf boat rowing in New Zealand was significant.

After the Tribute Row / Paddle Out, everyone is welcome to gather on the club deck for a drink and a yarn.

11/02/2026

A quiet moment before training tonight.

Oars up at the water’s edge for Dan Harris QSM – founder of North Island Surf Boat Champs, and a man who truly left his mark on surf boat rowing.

We’re sure Dave made them work just that bit harder in Dan’s honour tonight too.

Rest in peace, Dan - and thank you for the standard you set, the event you built, and the legacy that continues every time our crews hit the water.
Surf Boats NZ

11/02/2026

Before we turn the page on an unforgettable weekend of surf boat racing, it feels right to pause and acknowledge the man whose vision helped make it all possible.

Dan Harris QSM was the driving force behind the North Island Surf Boat Championships - an event he created to put surf boat rowing front and centre, on a beach he believed was made for it. What began as a bold idea has grown into one of the most widely supported and genuinely enjoyed events on the surf boat calendar, respected not just within our own boatie community but across the country and of course also the Aussie Trans Tasman teams.

Dan would have loved being here over the weekend - seeing the growth, the resurgence, the buzz on the beach, and the passion crews still bring to surf boat rowing. What we witnessed was a living reflection of the legacy he worked so hard to establish.

We’ll share race results, photos, and highlights from the weekend separately - but today, it feels right to acknowledge the end of an era, and the man behind it. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FNbPZNY2W/
Surf Boats NZ

05/02/2026

Can’t wait to see you all - come down and support this iconic Waihī Beach event and the first ever 3-day Surf Boat Spectacular!
• Eastern Regional Championships
• North Island Championships
• Champion of Championships
Cheer on our Waihī Beach crew and all the amazing clubs and crews from all over the country!
⏰ Opening ceremony at 7:45am

27/01/2026

T-7! Are uou ready? We are pumped…
Bit of a throwback…. https://youtu.be/KxEN9OIbl_4?si=N_bC6qDmxrxEymkCxt weej

Highlights from the Waihi Surf Boat weekend 2018

13/01/2026

🚤 Waihī Beach Surf Boat Spectacular ’26 ➡️ Entries + Merch Cut-Off Reminder❗️

A few key reminders as we head towards the deadline:

🗓️ Entries close Monday 19 January at 12.00 pm (midday).
Please don’t leave it to the last minute - especially if you’re juggling crew logistics.

👕 Event tee sizing (AS Colour):
Make sure the person doing your Waves entry knows your size and whether you want a Men’s or Women’s Classic Tee.
No swaps on the day - we order exactly what’s entered.

🍔 Extra burgers (supporters/friends & whānau):
Order separately here:
👉🏼 https://tinyurl.com/WaihiBeachBurgerOrder

👚🧢 Extra tees + event caps (NEW!)
Order here:
👉🏼 https://tinyurl.com/SurfBoatSpectacularMerch
(Extra tees and branded event caps are in the same order form.)

⚠️ Merch pick-up at the event – CUT-OFF:
If you want merch ready to collect at the event, you must order by 19 January 2026.
Orders after this date will go into our post-event production run and delivery fees will apply.

Please share with your team manager / boat captain / sweep so nobody misses out. 🤙🏼

08/01/2026

‼️VERY IMPORTANT NOTICE RE EVENT TEES‼️
About 50 people so far are going to miss out on an event tee because they are not being entered when your entries are going into Waves!

Muriwai, Titahi Bay, Omanu, Paekakariki, Piha rowers don’t have their tees entered. We have listed the individual names in the closed Surf Boats NZ group but as this is a public page have just listed the clubs here. Ask your Admin to go back into Waves and enter you in the Event Tee event. The T-shirt order is an “event” they need to enter you in.

Please - whoever is liaising with the person doing your entries - make sure they know they need to add an Event T-Shirt “event” for every competitor.

If we don’t have a T-shirt entered for you, you won’t receive one.

We don’t want you disappointed that you’ve missed out!

07/01/2026

Have you entered yet? 3 Days of Surf Boat Rowing at the Waihī Beach Surf Boat Spectacular ‘26 - less than a month to go!
👉🏼 Enter now in Waves
👉🏼 Join TeamReach - WaihīSurfBoatSpectacular’26 (flick us a DM for the code if you don’t have it, or get someone to add you!
👉🏼 Make sure you have all your crew’s T-shirt size/preference before you start your entries for your free event tee!
👉🏼 Want to order extra burgers or extra tees?👇🏼👇🏼

Extra merch for supporters, friends and whānau:
• Extra tees & caps – order at event pricing up to Mon 19 Jan 2026, 12.00 pm for pickup at the event. Later orders will be in a post-event run and couriered to you at a slightly higher price plus delivery.
👉🏼 Extra tees: https://tinyurl.com/SurfBoatTees2026
• Extra Waihī Beach burgers – use this link to order extra burger tokens for supporters, friends and whānau.
👉🏼 Extra burgers: https://tinyurl.com/WaihiBeachBurgerOrder
SLSNZ Sport SLSNZ | Eastern Region

16/12/2025

📸 The always awesome Alex Wilkins has uploaded 4 fab albums from the Whanga Classic and NZ Trials.
If you’ve not seen them, check them out and follow his work on Flickr. Alex attends all of our events and you can see the passion he has for our sport - he doesn’t charge for his work, so enjoy and share, follow and like etc!

Whanga Classic Album 1: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCDyXk

Whanga Classic Album 2: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCDAZJ

Whanga Classic Album 3: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCDyMf

NZ Trials: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCDSwG

15/12/2025

3 Days of Epic racing! Entries Open Now in Waves
👉🏼👉🏼👉🏼 Enter and pay before 20 December and go in the draw for a $100 voucher for The Deck Kitchen & Bar at the Club
Entry fee Includes:
👉🏼 an AS Colour event tee
👉🏼 Waihī Beach burger
👉🏼 3 days of racing (3 events)
👉🏼 DJ on the beach every day
👉🏼 Spot prizes
❗️ Make sure whoever does your entries has your AS Colour t-shirt size and preference M/F when theyre doing your entries ❗️
See you soon 💪🏼

24/10/2025

🔊Waihī Beach Surf Boat crews — past and present!
You’ve all been part of the action over the decades — from wild race days and early morning trainings to medals, memories, and plenty of laughs along the way.

As we mark 90 years of surf lifesaving at Waihī Beach, we want to see our surf boat community back together — rowers, sweeps, managers, and supporters from every era. Don’t miss this chance!

Come and reconnect, share stories, and celebrate the crews who’ve repped the Waihī Beach blue and white with pride. There’s a Surf Boat Tribute on the Saturday morning as part of the weekend, along with plenty of chances to catch up and be part of the celebrations.

7–9 November 2025 – Waihī Beach Lifeguard Services 90th Anniversary Weekend
💛❤️
Grab your spot now and make sure you’re part of it:
https://tinyurl.com/WaihiBeach90-Book

09/10/2025

📸 Some epic pics from one of our legends…
Have you booked for the 90th Anniversary celebrations yet?

All the info and tickets here 👉🏼 https://conta.cc/4nXYxsCo

Your Anniversary Pass gives you a commemorative pin and loads more including an entry into our one-of-a-kind Legacy Collection raffle.

Book your tickets now and we’ll see you there!
Surf Boats NZ SLSNZ Surf Boats